ABOUT US

Herstory

The story begins with a diagnosis. In 2007, a friend of Wheat's End co-owners Susan McMillan and Amelia Fonti was diagnosed with Celiac Disease. Soon after, Amelia learned that she, too, was gluten intolerant. They became aware of the growing unmet need for gluten-free food that did not compromise taste and texture. Susan and Amelia got to work helping their friend create gluten-free versions of traditional baked goods for her Lebanese Restaurant. They soon discovered they had a knack for it.

In 2012, Susan and Amelia opened Senza, a celiac-safe fine dining restaurant that appealed to every taste and palate. It didn’t take long for young chef Noah Sandoval to earn Senza the world’s first and only Michelin Star ever granted to a gluten-free restaurant in 2013 and again in 2014. By January of 2013, they opened Wheat's End Artisan Foods, a 100% dedicated gluten-free food company in the Ravenswood neighborhood of Chicago, Illinois. Wheat's End Artisan Foods provides surprisingly delicious and nutrient-rich gluten-free breads, bagels, rolls, pizza crusts, and more to a wide variety of hotels, restaurants, retail stores, and online customers. Shop Online >

Susan and Amelia converted Senza into Wheat’s End Café in 2015, creating a friendly haven where people can eat in or take out delightful baked goods and prepared dishes, drink great coffee, and enjoy a unique gluten-free brunch on weekends.

The Wheat's End skilled bakers enjoy the challenge of creating recipes tailored to the needs of customers with multiple food sensitivities. We create nut-free, dairy-free, vegan, and other specialty options for our clients. Please email us with any specific requests at info@wheatsend.com.

Café Family

Café Manager Meni Mizrahi is everywhere: making coffees, serving up pastries, and generally running the show.

Born in Israel, Meni moved to Chicago in november 2007 with a little experience as a barista and a dream of managing a coffee shop. Meni worked with Susan & Amelia at Senza. When Senza closed, Meni transitioned to Wheat's End Bakery, but his love of people drew him back to customer service at the café where he is known and loved by a dedicated regular clientele. Meni is proud that Wheat's End Café has become a meeting spot for so many great people from our neighborhood and beyond.

Chef Lina Elakhaoui takes gluten-free seriously. She knows firsthand the feelings of deprivation that can come with having Celiac Disease—she was diagnosed with Celiac in 2006 after a long battle with the mysterious illness.

Chef Lina's sensitivity to gluten is severe (anaphylactic is the term), meaning she cannot come into contact with flour or other gluten-bearing products. The Celiac diagnosis threatened to take Chef Lina, restaurant owner and life-long lover of cooking, out of the kitchen for good.

Her friendship with Susan and Amelia led to collaboration, invention, and perseverance in the face of gluten-free challenges. Now fully recovered, she is pursuing her passion as Head Chef at Wheat's End Café, where she takes pride in crafting great food for all customers regardless of nutritional preferences, but especially to those who suffer from Celiac disease. She also enjoys putting a gluten-free spin on traditional Lebanese foods at home for her two daughters, two grandchildren and son in law.

Located in East Lakeview, Chicago, Wheat's End Café provides gluten-intolerant clientele with a delicious selection of breakfast and lunch dishes, fine coffee, and a case full of baked goods to take home. On weekends, enjoy Chicago's only Celiac-safe traditional brunch menu. Come join the family!

Good Food Allies

We proudly serve Bridgeport Coffee and Gepperth's Meat Market house made pork sausage.

Careers

Working With Us

We are always looking for individuals who share our passion for baking! Our commitment to creating 100% gluten-free bakery goodies along with a sense of humor and a team-player attitude is what sets us apart. As we grow, we are always looking for additional teammates to join in on the fun and hard work. See below for our current openings.

Open Positions

We are currently hiring for:

Part-Time Bakery Specialist and Operations Support. This position will be a hybrid of bakery tasks and operational projects to help maintain our great customer base. Approximately 30 hours per week. Hourly wage commensurate with experience, education, and skills.